# How to accept or reject all tracked changes in Word for Mac, step by step

> Accept or reject all tracked changes in Word for Mac from the Review tab, then check the file. Steps for Pages and Google Docs too.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/problems/word-mac-accept-reject-tracked-changes
Updated: 2026-11-07

To accept or reject all tracked changes in Word for Mac, open the Review tab and use Accept or Reject, then pick the All Changes option. Hiding the markup does not clear anything, so check the file before you send it. This page covers the fast route, the date problem, locked files, and the same job in Pages and Google Docs.

## Quick answer

- Review > Accept > Accept All Changes keeps every edit. Review > Reject > Reject all Changes removes them.
- Accept All ignores dates. Use the Reviewing Pane to clear old edits one at a time.
- No Markup view hides changes. They return when the file is opened again.
- Turn off Track Changes and delete comments before you send. Then reopen a copy and check it.

## What clearing an editor's tracked changes costs you

- **Your paid hours.** The US Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median editor's pay at $77,920 a year, or $37.46 an hour, in May 2025. That is a rate for editors, not a guess about your pay. Cleanup is paid time, even when each step feels small. A long file with many rounds can eat an afternoon. Batch the easy edits first, so your hours go to the hard ones.
- **Hidden markup that leaks.** A file with tracked changes or comments can share more than you meant. The NCSC lists track changes, comments, undo history and author details as hidden data that can be released by accident. For a contract or a grant, that can mean an old deleted sentence or a reviewer's name reaches the wrong reader.
- **Wrong edits go out.** Accept All Changes takes every edit in the file, dated or not. One Microsoft Q&A user with 1,852 tracked changes needed only the older ones gone. Accepting the wrong set means a rewrite, and a rewrite means another check. Work through the Reviewing Pane when dates matter.
- **Locked files and waiting.** A tracking lock, document protection, or a file shared for review can block your next step. You may need a password from someone else. Waiting for that person can cost days when a deadline is close. Ask for the password at the start, not the night before you send.
- **Redaction gaps in PDFs.** Leftover markup matters more when a file becomes a PDF for outside readers. An Essex Software audit in 2026 checked 63 Google-indexed redacted PDFs. It found 11 of 63 (17.5%) with selectable text under the black boxes. The vendor says the sample is not random, so treat it as a warning, not a rate.
- **Repeat review rounds.** Each round adds another layer of edits and comments. Every extra round means more reading, more accepting, and more chances to miss something. Clear the file at the end of each round, not only at the end of the project.

## Why it happens

1. **Hiding is not removing.** No Markup view hides tracked changes for a while. Microsoft says they reappear when someone opens the file. Many people see a clean page and send it. The markup is still in the file, waiting for the next reader.
2. **Several rounds stack up.** A draft that passes between an editor, an author and a fact checker collects edits from each one. Dates and names mix together. Accept All treats them as one batch, so the file looks heavier than any single pass would make it.
3. **No date filter in Accept All.** Accept All Changes works on everything in the file. A Microsoft Q&A answer says there is no built-in way to accept by date. People often look for that option first, then find the Reviewing Pane by accident.
4. **Tracking stays on or gets locked.** Tracking can stay on after a review, so each new edit joins the markup. A password lock stops you from turning it off. A file shared with you for review can block the switch as well. The cause is the setting, not the file size.
5. **Comments sit in a separate layer.** Accepting edits does not remove comments. They live alongside the text. Many people accept everything, see no colored markup, and assume the file is done. The comments still carry names and notes that can travel with the file.
6. **Each app names things differently.** Word for Mac, Pages and Google Docs each use their own menus. Microsoft's help uses the label Reject all Changes. Pages uses a Change Tracking menu button. Google Docs uses Tools > Review suggested edits. Switching apps in the middle of a job slows you down.

## How to fix it

- **Show all markup before you clear.** Open the Review tab and set the view so every change shows. Scroll the file once and estimate how many edits there are. Pages users should set the view to Markup first, as Apple advises. This tells you whether you need one pass or several.
- **Split old and new edits.** Use the Reviewing Pane to find edits by date. Double-click each old edit you are sure about to accept it. Leave the newer ones for the next round. Save a copy between batches, so a wrong click is easy to reverse.
- **Accept or reject all in one pass.** When every edit is ready, use Review > Accept > Accept All Changes. Use Review > Reject > Reject all Changes only when you want the original text back. Read the document once more afterwards, because one wrong choice cannot be seen from the markup.
- **Turn tracking off and check locks.** Look for Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking in the Accept menu on your version. If it is missing, accept first, then turn off Track Changes in the Tracking group. If the switch is locked, ask the author for the password instead of guessing.
- **Delete the comments.** After you have answered every comment that matters, use Review > Comments > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document. A Microsoft Q&A answer gives this route. Check the comments pane afterwards, then save the file under a new name.
- **Check a copy and run Document Inspector.** Save a copy, close it and reopen it. Confirm that no markup and no comments show. Run Document Inspector if your version offers it. Microsoft's page lists revision marks among the items it removes. The NCSC also suggests previewing converted copies before you share them.

## Why tracked changes won't go away

Most people treat hiding and clearing as the same job. They are not. Microsoft says No Markup view only hides tracked changes for now. The changes return when someone opens the file again, so the real fix is to accept or reject each one.

The problem grows with every review round. An editor marks up a draft, the author replies, and the file goes back and forth. After a few rounds, the markup can be huge. One Microsoft Q&A question about Word for Mac described 1,852 tracked changes after many rounds. The user wanted to accept only the old ones.

![Writer at a desk with a laptop, reviewing a draft document before sending it](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/word-mac-accept-reject-tracked-changes/how-to-accept-or-reject-all-tracked-1-cdd306.jpg)

## Accept or reject all tracked changes in Word for Mac

Start by making sure you can see every change. Microsoft says the steps for Word for Microsoft 365 on a Mac are essentially the same as on Windows. Word's labels can shift between versions, so match the words on your screen.

1. Click the Review tab in the ribbon.
2. Set the markup view to All Markup, so every change shows in the text.
3. To keep every change, go to Review > Accept > Accept All Changes.
4. To remove every change, go to Review > Reject > Reject all Changes.
5. Scroll the whole file. Look for colored underlines, strikethroughs and bars in the margin.
6. Check the comments separately. Accept and reject do not clear them.

In the Tracking group, click the arrow under Accept to see the full menu. Microsoft's accept page lists Accept All Changes and Reject All Changes in that group. Choose one option, then read the file again.

> **Accept All ignores dates:** Accept All Changes takes every change in the file. It does not care about dates or reviewers. Do not use it if only some edits are ready. Use the Reviewing Pane first.

Reject All puts back the original text for every edit. Use it only when you are sure. Save a copy first, so you can compare the two versions side by side.

## Accept changes by date, or one at a time

Word for Mac has no date filter for accepting changes. A Microsoft Q&A answer says so directly. The workaround is the Reviewing Pane. It lists each edit with its date, so you can handle the old ones one by one.

Open the Reviewing Pane from the Review tab. Find an old edit, then double-click it to accept it. Repeat until only the newer edits remain. Save a copy every so often, so a mistake is easy to undo.

| Goal | Where to click | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keep every change | Review > Accept > Accept All Changes | Final round, you agree with all edits |
| Remove every change | Review > Reject > Reject all Changes | You want the original text back |
| Keep or remove old edits only | Reviewing Pane, double-click each edit | Several rounds, mixed dates |
| Clear comments | Review > Comments > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document | Before the file leaves your team |

_Ways to clear a file, by goal._

Mixed-date files take the longest. Work from the oldest edit forward. Skip anything you still need to discuss, and leave it marked for the next round.

## Turn off Track Changes before you finish

Accepting changes does not switch tracking off. If tracking stays on, your next edit gets tracked too. Turn it off from the Tracking group on the Review tab before you send the file.

Some Word for Mac versions also offer Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking in the Accept menu. A Microsoft Q&A answer from April 2024 recommends it, for Word for Mac 16.89.1. Microsoft's desktop page does not list that option. Look for it in your menu. If it is missing, accept first, then switch tracking off.

Some files refuse. Microsoft says a password can lock Track Changes on a Mac. While it is locked, you cannot turn tracking off, or accept and reject changes. A file shared with you for review may block the switch too. Ask the author for the password, or for a copy that is already cleared.

> **Check the lock before you start:** Open the Review tab and look at the Track Changes control. If Accept is greyed out, a lock or document protection can be the cause. Find out before you spend an hour on the file.

- **1,852** Tracked changes in one Word for Mac file after many review rounds ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5139306/how-to-accept-all-old-changes-in-mac-word))
- **$37.46** Median hourly pay for editors in the US, May 2025 ([source](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm))
- **11 of 63** Redacted PDFs with selectable text under the black boxes, 2026 audit, sample not random ([source](https://essexsoftware.com/pdf-redaction-failures/))

## Clear the comments too

Comments are not tracked changes, so accepting edits does not remove them. A Microsoft Q&A answer gives the route: Review > Comments > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document. Use it after you have answered every comment that still matters.

Comments carry names, dates and notes about the text. The UK National Cyber Security Centre says Office files can hold track changes, comments, undo history and author details. That data can be released by accident and cause a damaging breach.

## Pages and Google Docs: same job, other menus

In Pages on a Mac, open the Change Tracking menu button in the review toolbar. Choose Accept All Changes. Apple's guide says you must accept or reject all changes before you can turn tracking off. Set the view to Markup first, so every change shows.

In Google Docs, go to Tools > Review suggested edits. Click Accept all or Reject all. The file owner decides whether suggestions from other people stay. If you do not own the file, ask the owner before you clear anything.

If Pages is your main app, read [Pages for writers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/pages). For Word, see [Word for writers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/word). Both cover templates and long drafts.

## Check the file after you clear it

Clearing the markup is not the end. Save a copy under a new name, and keep the original. Close the copy, then reopen it. If markup comes back, a change is still there. If nothing returns, you are close.

The NCSC notes that converting to a print-oriented format may remove track changes and undo history. It also says to preview the converted version before you rely on it. Open the converted copy and read it once.

Word's Document Inspector finds revision marks, comments and hidden content. Microsoft's page gives only a Windows-style path, File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document. It has no Mac steps. Search Word's Help for Document Inspector on your version before you run it.

![Editor reading a document and marking up changes at a desk](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/word-mac-accept-reject-tracked-changes/how-to-accept-or-reject-all-tracked-2-cc04fd.jpg)

> **Client and patient files:** If the document holds client, patient or other regulated data, follow your employer's rules before you copy, export or share it. Do not paste it into an AI tool unless your employer allows that.

## Mistakes people make

- Hiding the markup and calling the file clean.
- Accepting everything when only the old edits were ready.
- Forgetting comments, which stay after you accept edits.
- Sending the file with Track Changes still on.
- Skipping the reopen check, so hidden markup goes out.
- Rejecting a change by accident, then not noticing the lost text.
- Forcing a locked file instead of asking for the password.

Most of these mistakes cost a second round of review. A few minutes of checking saves that round.

## What to do next

Pick one file that needs clearing this week. Turn on All Markup and check for locks. Split the edits by date or reviewer. Accept or reject the old ones first, then the rest. Delete comments, switch tracking off, and check a copy before you send it.

If you want a voice helper while you work, hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask where a control is. Lazur sees your screen, points at it and answers out loud. You still click every button yourself.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's Accept All Changes?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Accept control. You pick the menu item yourself. (Points at it)
- “Where is Accept All Changes in Word?”: Lazur circles the Accept control and labels it, so you can find it fast. You still do the clicking.
- “Walk me through clearing the old edits by date”: Lazur gives one step at a time and waits for each click before it moves on.
- “Why do my changes come back when I reopen the file?”: Lazur explains that No Markup view only hides changes, so you know what to check before you send.
- “Draft a note asking the reviewer to approve the edits”: Lazur drafts the note and types it where your cursor sits. You read it and send it yourself.

## A plan you can start this week

- **Before: Check what you have.** Open the file and set the view so every change shows. Look at the Track Changes control. If Accept is greyed out, check for a lock or document protection. Ask the author for any password now, not later.
- **Old edits: Clear the old edits first.** Open the Reviewing Pane and find the oldest edits. Double-click each one you are sure about. Save a copy after every batch. Leave anything you still need to discuss marked for the next round.
- **Rest: Accept or reject what remains.** When only edits you agree with are left, use Accept All Changes. If the rest should go, use Reject all Changes instead. Then switch Track Changes off and read the file once more.
- **Comments: Answer, then delete comments.** Reply to each comment that still matters. Then use Review > Comments > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document. Check that the comments pane is empty before you move on.
- **Check: Save a copy and reopen it.** Save under a new name. Close and reopen the copy, then look for markup and comments. Run Document Inspector if your version has it. If the file holds client data, follow your employer's rules before you share it.

## FAQ

### Why do my tracked changes come back after I hide them?

Hiding changes only changes what you see. Microsoft says No Markup view hides them for now. The changes return when someone opens the file again. Accept or reject each one to remove it from the file.

### Does Accept All Changes remove comments in Word for Mac?

No. Accepting edits leaves comments in place. Use Review > Comments > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document after you have dealt with the comments that matter. A Microsoft Q&A answer from April 2024 gives this route.

### Can I accept only the changes from before a certain date?

Not with one command. Accept All Changes takes everything. Open the Reviewing Pane, check each edit's date, and double-click the older edits to accept them one at a time.

### Why is Accept greyed out in my Word file?

A tracking lock or document protection can disable Accept. Microsoft says a Track Changes lock on a Mac needs a password to remove. If someone shared the file with you for review, you may not be able to switch tracking off. Ask the author.

### Does every Word for Mac version have Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking?

I could not confirm that from Microsoft's own desktop page. A Microsoft Q&A answer mentions it for Word for Mac 16.89.1. Look for it in the Accept menu. If it is not there, accept first, then switch tracking off.

### How do I do this in Pages or Google Docs?

In Pages, use the Change Tracking menu button and choose Accept All Changes. In Google Docs, use Tools > Review suggested edits, then Accept all or Reject all. The file owner decides whether suggestions from others stay.

### Can Lazur accept the changes for me?

No. Lazur does not click buttons or edit files for you. It can point at the Accept control, explain the menu, and walk you through each click, one at a time. You do the clicking.

### Is a PDF safe to send after I clear the changes?

Not automatically. The NCSC says converting to a print-oriented format may remove track changes, and it recommends previewing the converted version. Open the PDF and read it before you send it.

## Sources

1. [Accept or reject tracked changes in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/accept-or-reject-tracked-changes-in-word), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Track changes in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/training/track-changes-in-word), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents, presentations, or workbooks](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/remove-hidden-data-and-personal-information-by-inspecting-documents-presentations-or-workbooks), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
4. [How to Accept All Old Changes in Mac Word?](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5139306/how-to-accept-all-old-changes-in-mac-word), Microsoft Q&A, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Getting rid of markups](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5342332/getting-rid-of-markups), Microsoft Q&A, checked 2026-11-07
6. [Track changes in Pages on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/track-changes-tan2685b84ff/mac), Apple Support, checked 2026-11-07
7. [Review suggested edits in Google Docs](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6033474), Google Docs Editors Help, checked 2026-11-07
8. [Editors: Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, checked 2026-11-07
9. [Design Pattern: Safely Exporting Data](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/design-pattern-safely-exporting-data), UK National Cyber Security Centre, checked 2026-11-07
10. [We audited 72 redacted PDFs](https://essexsoftware.com/pdf-redaction-failures/), Essex Software, checked 2026-11-07